MILITARY DECORATIONS
Navy
and Marine Corps Award Manual
(SECRETARY
OF THE NAVY INSTRUCTION 1650.1F)
The Medal of Honor is awarded by the President in the name of Congress to members of the naval service, who distinguish themselves conspiciously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty
(a) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
(b) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
(c) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
There must be no margin of doubt or possibility of error in awarding this honor. To justify the decoration, the individual's service must clearly be rendered conspicious above their comrades by an act so outstanding that it clearly distinguishes their gallantry beyond the call of duty from lesser forms of bravery; and it must be the type of deed which if not done would not subject the indidual to any justified criticism. The deed must be without detriment to the mission of the command or to the command to wich attached.
The Navy Cross is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguishes himself by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of the Medal of Honor
(a) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
(b) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
(c) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
To warrant this distinctive decoration, the act or the execution of duty must be performed in the presence of great danger or at great personal risk and must be performed in such a manner as to set the individual apart from his shipmates or fellow Marines. An accumulation of minor acts of heroism does not justify the award. The high standards demanded must be borne in mind when recommending the award.
The Silver Star is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, is cited for gallantry in action that does not warrant a Medal of Honor or Navy Cross
(a) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
(b) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
(c) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
The heroic act(s) performed must render the individual conspicious and well above the standard expected. Any accumulation of minor actions of heroism normally does not justify the award, but unusual or exception cases will be decided on their merits.
The Distinguished Flying Cross is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the U. S. Navy or the U.S. Marine Corps, distinguishes himself by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight. To justify this decoration for heroism, an act in the fact of danger, well above those actions performed by others engaged in similar flight operation, is required; for achievement, the results accomplished must be so exceptional as to render them conspicious among those accomplished by others involved in similar circumstances. Establishment of a new aerial record does not necessarily qualify as an extraordinary achievement in aerial flight.
The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forcesof the United States, distinguishes himself after 6 December 1941, by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight
(a) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
(b) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
(c) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
To justify this decoration, accomplishment or performance of duty above that normally expected, and sufficient to distinguish the individual among those performing comparable duties, is required, although less than the requirements for the Silver Star or the Legion of Merit. Minor acts of heroism in actual combat, single acts of merit or meritorious service in connection with military or naval operations my justify this award.
The Combat Distinguishing Device may be authorized.
The Air Medal may be awarded in two categories:
(1) Individual Award. Awarded to persons who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, distinguishes himself by heroic/meritorious achievment while participating in aerial flight.
(2) Strike/Flight Award. Awarded to persons who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, distinguish themselves by meritorious achievement while participating in sustained aerial flight operations. Bronze numerals are worn to denote total number of Strike/Flight Awards.
The Navy Commedation Medal is awarded to aperson who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Coprs, (including foreign military personnal), distinguishes himself after 6 December 1941, by heroic or meritorious achievement or service. To merit this award, the acts or services must be accomplished or performed in a manner above that normally expected and sufficient to distinguish the individual above those performing similar services.
The Combat Distinguishing Device may be authorized.
The Navy Achievment Medal is awarded to members of the Navy and Marine Corps, including members of Reserve components on active or inactive duty, of the grade of lieutenant commander/major and junior thereto, for service performed on or after 1 May 1961. The award shall be given for meritorious service or achievement in a combat or noncombat situation based on sustained performance or specific achievemnt of a superlative nature, and shall be of such merit as to warrant more tangible recognition than is possible by a fitness report or evaluation sheet, but which does not warrant a Navy Commendation Medal or higher.
The Combat Distinguishing Device may be authorized.
The Combat Action Ribbon is awarded to members of the Nayv, Marine Corps and Coast Guard (when the Coast Guard or units thereof operate under the control of the Navy) in the grade of captain/colonel and junior thereto, who have actively participated in ground or surface combat. Upon submission of evidence to their commanding officer, personnel who earned the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Bade while a member of the U.S. Army may be authorized to wear the Combat Action Ribbon.
The principal eligibility criterion is that the individual must have participated in a bona fide ground or surface combat fire fight or action during which he was under enemy fire and performance while under fire was satisfactory.
